What Does a Makeup Design Thespy Entry Involve?
For a Makeup Design entry, the Thespian must present and discuss makeup renderings they designed for use in a published theatrical work. Designs for performances of original works, poetry, fiction, screenplays, television, concerts, and/or any other medium are not permitted.
For the purposes of the Thespy Awards, teeth and hair are considered part of makeup design and should be included in the materials presented.
Only one (1) Thespian may be involved in the design; collaborations are not permitted. Designs for theoretical or realized productions are acceptable.
Showcasing Your Work for the Adjudicators
The Thespian must prepare a five- to eight-minute (5-8-minute) presentation showcasing and summarizing their work. The presentation should walk the adjudicators through the process of conceptualization, collaboration, and design decision-making using the specific items listed under “Required Materials.”
In addition, the Thespian should address the the general presentation prompts below as well as discuss the research done prior to arriving at the final makeup look, the application and/or styling techniques necessary to achieve the desired look, and instructional methods used to help actors achieve the desired results (and any challenges this posed).
Presentations may be verbal or visual in format (the Thespian may speak, display a video that presents their material, or let their support materials describe their process fully; in the latter case, the support materials would need to be thorough enough to allow the adjudicators to understand all required components of the category).
Required Materials
(Expand each item for details.)
1. Five (5) makeup renderings.
- No more than five (5) renderings are allowed; and no live makeup applications are allowed (i.e., do not wear the makeup design to the adjudication).
- The renderings can feature designs for five (5) different characters from the same production or follow a single character through five (5) different looks.
- Renderings should be in full color and at least eight (8) inches tall – large enough for the adjudicators to easily understand the design choices. Template or traced character forms are permitted.
- Renderings may be hand-drawn or computer-generated, but must include the tool used in the title block (e.g., hand-sketched colored pencil, watercolor, Procreate, etc.).
- Renderings may be presented on a display board or alongside the additional support materials (see #2) in a binder or digital presentation. The board, page, or digital slide should be clearly and neatly labeled with a title block that contains the following information:
- Participant’s name and troupe number.
- Title of the play or musical.
- Authors and/or composers (as applicable).
- Name of performance venue and performance dates (if realized).
- Character’s name and the act(s) and scene(s) in which the look appears.
- Medium with which the rendering was created.
2. Additional support materials presented in a binder or digitally.
Additional support materials may be presented in a binder or digitally (the Thespian must provide their own equipment for viewing). Any digital presentation must display the work so that the adjudicators can see details during the presentation. These materials must include:
- Design statement no longer than one (1) page that includes the unifying production design concept and the theme of the show and/or recurring motifs that appear in it.
- Research, including:
- Summary of given circumstances from the script that apply to the makeup design.
- Functionality requirements.
- Genre, locale, and setting of the play (or other explanation of the world of the play).
- Artistic and practical needs that impact the design.
- Sources of inspiration for design and color palette (if used).
- Budgetary requirements or other constraints and considerations.
- Preliminary sketches/first concept drawings to show where the designs started and how they developed.
- Application techniques used within the design.
- Makeup plot for the chosen character(s), which makeup is worn at different points throughout the show (if applicable).
- If the design was realized, include a makeup application photo series that focuses on the process of creating one makeup look at various stages of application.
- Highlight specific techniques used to create the overall look.
- Include at least one (1) photo of the finished makeup look.
Optional Materials
The Thespian may bring in photo boards or other visual aids to display along with the renderings and support materials. The Thespian may also provide an optional written response to share additional information about the design with the adjudicators.
Question & Answer Session
Following the presentation, a 4-minute Q&A session will commence in which the adjudicators may ask any questions about the design and execution process or the additional support materials included.
Skills Measured
The skills measured by the adjudicators during the presentation are:
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the makeup design process.
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the artistic, functional, and practical constraints that impact design and the relationship to a unifying concept.
- Ability to research and understand the connection between style, period, locale, genre, and other historical and cultural influences and design choices.
- Ability to document, present, and clearly explain and justify design choices.
